An Affordable Knife Set That Gets the Job Done

While I don’t have an obsession with obtaining the fanciest or chef-renown knife, I do like to have appropriate knives for everyday cooking. It is important to know the tool I grab will work effectively. I found this to be the case with the Ginsu Daku 5-piece Knife Set.

The set contains scalloped, serrated knives in various sizes, including an 8-inch chef’s knife, 8-inch bread knife, 8-inch slicer, 4.5-inch utility knife and 3-inch paring knife. The claim is that these knives “never need sharpening” — with the serrated edges, that is probably true. They are considered to be some of the most inexpensive, good-quality knives on the market. And having a set of knives to hone your culinary skills, or at least aid in meal prep, is a pretty good thing when you don’t need a high-end chef’s knife.

I found these knives to be lightweight but not flimsy. This is great because, with all that goes on in my kitchen — from my 11-year-old twins running in and out to our ever-curious cats who always want to be where the action is — I don’t need anything that potentially could be more hazardous.

While I generally use straight-edge knives for slicing cucumbers and radishes, I was interested to see how these knives would do — albeit they are serrated. I chose one of the medium knives shaped similarly to my straight-edged knife that is in serious need of sharpening. Surprisingly, I was able to thinly slice both vegetables to add appeal to salads. I even used one of the Ginsu knives to slice through a stuffed, layered veggie burrito without making a mess. It left all the layers of my avocado, hummus, tapenade and sun-dried tomato dip nicely stacked for an appealing presentation.

I bought some turkey thighs to bake — one of my more creative purchases during the onset of the coronavirus scare (store shelves were empty and I just grabbed what I could find to satisfy each food group). I used one of the knives for carving, and it sliced through the tender meat just as desired. From eggplant and tomatoes to poultry, the Ginsu Daku knife set did not disappoint. And it’s always nice to have a proper bread knife. (I actually have two now; if one is in the dishwasher, I have a clean one handy.)

When it comes to ergonomics (what feels most comfortable in your hand given the specific task and the size of the food you are chopping, slicing or carving), I found this set to have appropriate choices. I generally lean toward the most “appropriate” knife (e.g., a bread knife has a particular shape/design to best cut bread). I probably wouldn’t use the steak knife to carve a turkey thigh, although it likely would get the job done.

I can honestly say, if these were the only knives available in my kitchen, I’d get by pretty well. Any knife from the set will do for chopping, slicing vegetables, carving turkey or slicing bread. Choosing the right size and shape is helpful but not a necessity. Overall, I give the Ginsu Daku knife set a thumbs up.

Lauren O’Connor, MS, RDN, is a Los Angeles-based private practice dietitian, recipe developer and owner of Nutri Savvy Health, a program focusing on mindful eating and family nutrition. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.